Part 1/11:
The Hidden Illusion Behind Cancer Survival Statistics
Imagine sitting in an oncologist’s office, absorbing the seemingly good news: "The five-year survival rate for stage 2 breast cancer has risen from 78% twenty years ago to 93% today." It’s comforting to think that medical science has made monumental progress, that treatments are improving, and that the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of patients. But beneath this optimistic veneer lies a mathematical illusion that distorts reality—an insidious effect that can mislead patients, influence research funding, and shape treatment protocols.